Phoenix published a commentary on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to make China-Russia visa-free travel permanent.
On August 31, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Putin told Xi Jinping that if Beijing considered it feasible and beneficial, the two sides were willing to work toward making visa-free travel permanent. China did not immediately accept or reject the proposal. On September 1, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said mutual visa-free travel “fully reflects” the two countries’ “high level of strategic mutual trust” and would further facilitate people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. The wording suggests that Beijing is receptive to the proposal, although it stopped short of formally agreeing.
The two countries currently have a mutual visa-free arrangement in place through December 31, 2027. The policy has already boosted cross-border travel. In the first half of 2026, about 380,600 Chinese citizens traveled to Russia, up 19.7 percent year-on-year, while 396,000 Russians visited China, up 62.4 percent. Russia has become China’s second-largest source of foreign tourists. The development also reflects China’s broader visa strategy: by 2026, Beijing had extended unilateral visa-free access to 50 countries and established full mutual visa exemption with 29 countries. Unlike many of these arrangements, the China-Russia agreement is based on reciprocity, giving it added political significance.
The proposal also has significant economic and geopolitical implications. China-Russia trade reached $227.9 billion in 2025 and about $134.2 billion in the first half of 2026. As cooperation expands into technology, artificial intelligence, and digital innovation, easier cross-border travel could facilitate deeper business and professional ties. At the same time, with the Ukraine war entering its fifth year and Western sanctions continuing to constrain Russia, Moscow’s economic “pivot to the East” has increased its dependence on China.
Beijing’s response suggests that the proposal is under consideration. A future Xi-Putin meeting could produce a further extension of the current arrangement—or eventually eliminate its expiration date altogether.
Source: Phoenix, September 3, 2026
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